For those of us less aware of hyperkalemia, Bird writes that “Hyperkalemia is a potentially serious condition … manifesting as weakness, flaccid paralysis, hypoventilation, and metabolic acidosis. Hyperkalemia can also result in cardiac toxicity with electrocardiographic changes, which in severe cases may lead to the terminal events of ventricular fibrillation or asystole.”[2] (emphasis added)

Here is how MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and the National Institutes of Health, describes the ailments Dr. Bird writes can result from hyperkalemia:

Flaccid Paralysis: “paralysis in which muscle tone is lacking in the affected muscles and in which tendon reflexes are decreased or absent.”[3]

Hypoventilation: “deficient ventilation of the lungs that results in reduction in the oxygen content or an increase in carbon dioxide of the blood or both.”[4] This is bad – all of your organs need oxygen to function.

Metabolic Acidosis: “Acidosis resulting from excess acid due to abnormal metabolism, excessive acid intake, or renal retention or from excessive loss of bicarbonate (as in diarrhea).”[5]

Acidosis: “An abnormal condition of reduced alkalinity of the blood and tissues that is marked by sickly sweet breath, headache, nausea and vomiting, and visual disturbances and is usually a result of excessive acid production.”[6]

Ventricular Fibrillation: “Very rapid uncoordinated fluttering contractions of the ventricles of the heart resulting in loss of synchronization between heartbeat and pulse beat.”[7]

Systole: “The contraction of the heart by which the blood is forced onward and the circulation kept up.”[9]

The Bird (et al.) results, though deemed not clinically significant due to the sample size, suggest danger of YAZ® use and ought to prompt further study on this subject. A Yaz lawyer can use this article in a Yaz, Yazmin, or Ocella lawsuit to help provide evidence that YAZ® poses excessive and unjustified risk to its users.

[3] “Flaccid Paralysis” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Available at <http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/flaccid%20paralysis> Accessed 4 October 2012

[4] “Hypoventilation” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Available at <http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/hypoventilation> Accessed 4 October 2012

[5] “Metabolic Acidosis” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Available at <http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/Metabolic%20Acidosis> Accessed 4 October 2012

[6] “Acidosis” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Available at <http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/acidosis> Accessed 4 October 2012

[7] “Ventricular Fibrillation” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Available at <http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/ventricular%20fibrillation> Accessed 4 October 2012

[8] “Asystole” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Available at <http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/asystole> Accessed 4 October 2012

[9] “Systole” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Available at <http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/systole> Accessed 4 October 2012

About this Blog

This blog chronicles legal and scientific news relating to personal injuries caused by defective drugs and medical devices. It is published by injury lawyer Justinian C. Lane, an attorney who takes a personal interest in each of his clients’ cases.